FURIA’s YEKINDAR: “We Never Considered Ourselves at Vitality’s Level, We Still Have Growth to Show”

FURIA’s YEKINDAR: “We Never Considered Ourselves at Vitality’s Level, We Still Have Growth to Show”

At IEM Krakow 2026, FURIA Esports’ rifler Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis openly addressed the Brazilian organization’s recent performances and long-term potential after their victory over The MongolZ — a win that kept FURIA’s tournament hopes alive.

Despite the encouraging result, YEKINDAR made it clear that FURIA does not yet view itself as a peer to top-tier teams such as Team Vitality — a squad that continues to set the standard for global excellence, most recently cemented as StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 champions with stand-out performances from players like Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut.

“We never really considered ourselves on the Vitality level,” YEKINDAR said, underlining that while FURIA has developed strong team chemistry, there are still areas where they fall short compared to the elite.

Reasons Behind FURIA’s Self-Assessment

YEKINDAR cited several specific gaps that FURIA still needs to address before they can be discussed alongside top teams:

• System Adaptations: The team’s tactical and strategic framework is still a work in progress, and opponents have been able to exploit certain maps.

• Individual Experience: FURIA’s roster — including recent additions like molodoy alongside YEKINDAR — continues to gain experience but lacks the deep competitive polish seen in Vitality and other leading sides.

• Comfort Under Pressure: Consistency on key maps and in high-stakes moments remains an area for improvement.

The Latvian highlighted that even though FURIA has reached a certain threshold of chemistry, foundational elements like systematic planning and map familiarity still require refinement before they can break into the ranks of the very best.

Context: Recent Struggles and Growth

This season hasn’t been smooth for FURIA. Despite strong runs in other events and confident performances elsewhere, recent tournaments demonstrated shortcomings that forced the team to rethink elements of their play. Earlier in 2025, YEKINDAR reflected after a deep run at FISSURE Playground 2 that while FURIA continued improving, they recognized they weren’t ready to challenge top squads consistently.

That mindset — acknowledging they’re still building — aligns with the team’s current trajectory, where wins like the one at Krakow boost morale but also expose areas where elite competition still outpaces them.

Looking Forward

FURIA’s path forward will revolve around sharpening their tactical systems, building more experience under fire, and becoming comfortable enough to challenge established elite teams like Team Vitality — champions of major events and a benchmark for global excellence.